Has East Devon District Council miscalculated once again? The 13,000 per annum figure (quoted on Radio Devon last week by Council Leader, Paul Diviani) for the number of visitors to the Knowle, seems remarkably low.
If the Knowle is open for 250 days a year, then this would equate to 52 visitors per day, that is, one every ten minutes, or just six per hour. In reality, there is almost always someone waiting at reception. The actual number is likely to be far greater than 13,000, so where did that figure come from? Was it derived solely from people signing in at the front desk? Does it include the many who don’t sign in; those members of the public who attend meetings; and attendances at private events?
Should the estimate be at least four times the 13,000 figure? Erroneous statistics were given at the time of the Knowle planning application. Is the same happening again?

Councillors and others will certainly want to get to the bottom of this, and to thoroughly check the reliability of other Knowle relocation figures, before any further steps are taken.

Big questions will be asked at the Full Council meeting (26 February, 6.30 p.m at Knowle)..which is expected to be …full!